


Take Me Home

by AcidNightmare



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, First Time, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-02-23 14:48:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23713204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcidNightmare/pseuds/AcidNightmare
Summary: A chance meeting in a bar changes everything and perhaps Loqi’s lingering obsession with Cor is a little more personal and a little less one-sided than it first appears.
Relationships: Cor Leonis/Loqi Tummelt
Comments: 21
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a (short!) pwp to help me work through my block on a different fic. A month later and I don’t know wtf happened. All I do know is that Cor is a dirty old man and no one can change my mind.

The bar he sat in was dusty, quiet in an isolated sort of way; situated on a crossroads where patrons passed through, seen once then never again, leaving nothing more than an empty bottle, a handful of coins, and perhaps a gruff story of a life eked out on the inhospitable edge of the continent.

Cor had heard many such stories sitting in backwater dives like this one, sometimes recognized, mostly not. Cor the Immortal was a title not often associated with a face and even then, the vagaries of the royals and elites were background noise to the individuals living these lives, their focus wholly on thriving crops and keeping livestock safe from sabreclaws.

Cor Leonis is 38 years old and has spent more than half his life in service to the king and royal family, even the years before his induction into the Crownsguard were spent training and learning what would be expected of his life in service.

Only outside of the city in lonely little dives had Cor ever seen the reality of life beyond the city borders, the quiet desperation and loss and struggle. Only after a few drinks were people willing to spill their worries and hardships, so Cor listened and paid for another.

This small bar was no different with its dirty walls plastered with yellowing reward posters and half empty glasses smudged with fingerprints left in front of abandoned seats.

Cor sat at the corner seat of the bar facing the door and ordered a whiskey neat and a shot of tequila, watching the shadows grow on the floor as dusk fell.

The bar was surprisingly lively with small groups cloistered together at tables; Cor chalked it up to the locals having nowhere better to be on a Thursday evening. He listened half-heartedly to snippets of conversations and quiet rumors, unable to abate his constant habit of collecting information.

Cor kept to himself as he slowly worked his way through his whiskey. He noticed the woman behind the bar kept a practiced eye on the patron’s drinks while she switched between washing glasses and cooking on a grill. Cor tried not to be a nuisance and tipped her well when she automatically set another tequila in front of him after he downed his.

Cor let himself relax, leaning on his elbows and enjoying the soothing warmth of the alcohol flowing in his veins. He rather liked the atmosphere of the bar, run-down, yet it had a timeless sort of allure, rough and inviting all at once.

So Cor gestured for another whiskey and was content with the idea of having too many drinks and stumbling back to his hotel room across the street at last call.

When Cor was three drinks deep and feeling that hazy warmth in his gut, more patrons arrived at the bar. Cor couldn’t help looking over to the door when it opened; years of constant need to be aware of his surroundings left Cor with sharp eyes and a nagging inability to leave his back to the door. The bell tied to the door handle rattled and in walked three young men who parked themselves at the other end of the bar.

The first thing Cor noticed was that the three looked barely old enough to be drinking in the first place. Cor sighed, feeling his age. The second thing he noticed was that one of the three looked as though he was in entirely over his head, overwhelmed as the bartender gestured impatiently to the array of bottles and taps behind her. Eventually he pointed to a random bottle in a panic, elbowing his friends as they laughed. Cor watched for too long, cause when the kid looked up and across the bar Cor caught his eye and he gave Cor a shy smile as the bartender sat a hastily made drink in front of him.

Cor returned his attention to his drink but snuck a few more looks at the group; they were a bit loud and boisterous, but a welcome distraction from the quiet home-town melancholy radiating from the rest of the patrons. And despite himself, Cor’s eyes kept returning to the kid who’d smiled at him. Slim and blonde and a natural sort of pretty, the kid had a sort of reserved magnetism that drew Cor’s attention.

And somehow it was mutual.

The third time Cor caught the kid’s eyes on him he flagged down the bartender and sent over a shot to complement his own, figuring what the hell, what’s the worst that could happen.

The blonde looked surprised when the bartender set the shot in front of him until she pointed a tired finger at Cor then resumed washing glasses behind the bar. The blonde’s friends laughed a bit amongst themselves but the kid gave a coy smile and waited until Cor raised his own shot to take at the same time.

Cor knocked his back and when he looked over he saw the kid come up sputtering and laughing as the alcohol burned down the back of his throat, his friends losing it beside him and pounding on his back unhelpfully.

Cor lifted his whiskey, trying to hide his own grin behind his hand. When the kid finally stopped choking and fanning his face, he looked back over Cor’s way, face alarmingly red but still smiling as he mouthed ‘thanks’.

Cor nodded and raised his glass, giving one last look to the pretty blonde at the end of the bar, surprised to see the kid’s eyes were still on him, even as Cor turned back to his own business.

And Cor thought that was the end of it, a shared drink and a look across a bar and nothing more, two ships passing in the night.

But a moment later there was a warm body occupying the empty seat next to Cor.

“So do you buy drinks for just anyone in this shithole?”

Cor gave the kid a sidelong look, taking in the long lashes above bright green eyes and the pink of his cheeks as he tried to ignore the catcalls and whistles from his friends several seats down.

“Not just anyone.” Cor answered, slow and measured, liking the way the younger man bit his bottom lip before giving Cor a bright smile.

“Well then thanks for deeming me worthy. I’m Loqi, by the way.”

“Cor.”

And Loqi repeated him, testing Cor’s name on his lips. Cor liked that even more.

“So what are you drinking? It’s only fair I return the favor.” And Loqi was already waving down the bartender, gesturing to the dregs at the bottom of Cor’s glass. “Two more of whatever he’s drinking.”

The woman raised a skeptical brow as Loqi fished crumpled notes from his wallet, but she still pulled down a mostly full bottle of Blue Label, filling and setting two fresh glasses on the bar.

“You drink whiskey?” Cor asked as he swapped drinks, the glass still warm against his palm.

“Truthfully I don’t drink much of anything. So far I’ve tried a few different beers, the coconut rum in that drink over there, and whatever was in that shot you bought me.” Loqi pulled his own glass over, giving the drink a tentative sniff before crinkling his nose. Cor couldn’t help but find it endearing.

“Well that might take a little getting used to.” Cor warned before swallowing a mouthful, the warmth burning down his throat and pooling in his stomach, making the world tilt a bit as he waited for Loqi to do the same.

Loqi took too big of a gulp, shaking his head hard at the taste, the corners of his eyes watering as he swallowed it down.

“That was,” Loqi began, only to stop to clear his throat. “That wasn’t all bad, but it wasn’t all good either.” He admitted, his cheeks flushing an embarrassed pink against his pale skin.

“It grows on you.” Cor reassured, watching as Loqi tentatively reached for his glass again, fingertips light against the rim.

Cor wasn’t sure if Loqi was trying to impress him by continuing to drink something he obviously found distasteful, but he found it endearing all the same. He watched Loqi out the corner of his eye as the next swallow gave him a full body shiver.

Loqi gave a sheepish smile. “Actually I haven’t tried much because I haven’t been legal for very long. And unlike my _friends_ ,” he stressed, “I didn’t do much underage drinking. So I’m a bit behind the curve.”

And Cor had to rein in his expression at hearing that Loqi was only eighteen. He felt sucker punched and Cor thanked the six his friends weren’t here to witness him chatting up a kid twenty years younger.

But when Cor gave Loqi a sidelong look, Loqi was still looking at Cor with interest, and well, as long as Cor didn’t have any expectations it couldn’t hurt to just talk.

Cor took a deep breath. The talking, though. He’d never been particularly good at small talk, at getting to know other people. He had always been direct with his words and unintentionally intimidating, but Loqi was still sitting next to him undaunted, smiling and leaning in to hear what he had to say.

“So why are you out tonight?” Cor asked, neutral and boring, but a decent start nonetheless.

“Celebrating,” Loqi answered, brightening up and flashing a devastating smile. “My friends and I just graduated and we’ve been accepted into the military. Next week we head to the academy.”

“Impressive,” Cor answered, although secretly he wondered how Loqi would fare in the military. Loqi was slim, with soft hands and delicate features. Cor couldn’t imagine Loqi with a sword in hand in the thick of battle.

“We just wanted to get out of the city for a night, found ourselves here.”

“Not a bad place to be,” Cor said back, before bringing his drink to his lips, aware of Loqi’s eyes on him as he swallowed down the mouthful of fire. Cor set down his glass and moved his empty shot glass to the edge of the bar.

“If you’re celebrating you should do it right.” And when the bartender came over to grab his glass Cor ordered four shots of something sweet, indicating the extra two be sent over to Loqi’s friends.

Loqi looked dubiously at the cherry red drink but Cor nudged it in Loqi’s direction before grabbing his own, giving a reassuring smile.

“It’s good, I promise.”

“Then I’ll trust you.” Loqi didn’t say a toast out loud, but he still clinked their glasses together, his eyes locked on Cor’s before he tipped back his shot. This time Loqi took the drink easily, laughing and licking the corner of his lip. “You were right.”

Conversation came a little easier after that, with Loqi taking the reins by telling Cor about himself and occasionally asking Cor unobtrusive questions. And Cor replied with smiles and vague answers, loosened up by the alcohol and unable to help the self-indulgent glances he sent Loqi’s way.

Cor couldn’t deny it felt good to have Loqi’s attention on him; he had a nice voice and a nicer face, and although a bit on the younger side, exactly Cor’s type if he was being honest with himself. So he continued the small talk, watching Loqi take sips of his drink, each mouthful going down a little easier than the last.

When Loqi stood and stretched, his shirt riding up his lower belly, Cor assumed that Loqi’s interest had finally waned. Instead Loqi gestured over his shoulder at the pool table sitting unused at the back of the bar, a single light swinging over it.

“So do you know how to play?”

Cor followed his gaze. “Yeah, you could say that.”

And Loqi smiled, warm and shy and inviting. “Maybe you could show me some moves then because I am terrible.”

Cor found himself nodding, feeling as though he’d been swept up in a current, drawn to and pulled along by Loqi.

Loqi leaned against Cor’s seat and reached out for his glass. He made a pinched face as he threw back the rest of his drink, swallowing before the taste could catch up to him. He then walked a few seats down the bar; leaning over the backs of his friends’ chairs to speak with them in hushed whispers. Their responses were much more obvious, laughter and completely unsubtle glances in Cor’s direction as Loqi tried unsuccessfully to shush them.

Cor just tapped his fingers on the bar top, eyes casually averted. Ah, youth.

Finally one of Loqi’s friends dug in his pocket and pulled out a handful of change, tipping it into Loqi’s waiting hands.

Loqi flashed Cor a smile as he whisked by, only examining the pile of change once he was crouched by the pool table, making faces as he picked things that were decidedly not coins out of his hand.

Cor shook his head in amusement and then ordered a couple of light beers, deciding their game would go much easier without the addition of more whiskey. Bottles in hand, Cor walked over to where Loqi was puzzling over the rack, the eight ball at least in the center but the rest of the balls in no discernable order. Loqi shot him a sheepish look and with a shrug let Cor take over the setup as he drifted over to the jukebox, already digging in his pocket for the pilfered change.

When Cor had the rack arranged, something soft started to play over the speakers, some woman’s voice low and breathy and haunted. Cor looked over and caught Loqi swaying his hips to the sound, slow and subtle, his fingers drumming on the edge of the jukebox. Cor couldn’t help but drop his gaze, watching Loqi’s hips catch the beat.

Loqi paid for a few more songs before turning back to Cor and joining him at the pool table, picking up his drink as he leaned against the edge.

Cor took a long look at Loqi as he ran his fingers over the smooth wood of the pool cue. Loqi caught his eye and he gestured for Cor to start, so he leaned over to break, sinking a high ball. Then he sunk another before miscalculating the third. Loqi looked a bit dubious as he took the cue from Cor, giving the table a quick look before leaning down.

And Cor couldn’t help but nudge Loqi in the right direction, an innocent touch on Loqi’s arms tilting the cue in the right direction to line up his shot.

But it was useless as he scratched, missing the three ball by an embarrassing amount.  
“Told you I was no good,” Loqi laughed, leaning a hip against the table as he grabbed his beer. “Even with help it’s hopeless.”

Cor set the cue ball back on the table in its original place, motioning Loqi over to his side.

Cor took a few more liberties lining up Loqi’s shot this time, standing closer, a hand nudging his side, the other pressing Loqi’s shoulder down so he’d lean over.

“Like this,” And maybe Cor was a touch too close when he spoke against Loqi’s ear, their hips brushing together, but Loqi didn’t move away, fingers instead gripping the cue too tightly, shoes scuffing against the floor as he bent over the table in front of Cor and gave him an expectant look over his shoulder.

Loqi’s shot was still terrible but at least he managed to hit the three ball this time and he straightened up with a broad grin on his face.

“Better,” Cor said, reaching to take the cue and touching Loqi’s fingers as he did. Cor didn’t miss the way Loqi swallowed a nervous lump in his throat at the touch, or the way his cheeks darkened even under the dim lights.

The game, unsurprisingly, did not last very long. Cor ran the table, only missing on purpose to have the opportunity to assist Loqi with his shots, each time his touch becoming a little bolder, daring to place a hand on Loqi’s ribs, lower back, and finally a full palm against his hip.

When Cor sunk the eight ball Loqi wasn’t even watching the shot from where he leaned his weight against the table, instead his eyes were fully on Cor, and Cor could see Loqi biting his lip when Cor stood in front of him.

Cor reached around Loqi to set the cue back on the table and when Loqi leaned forward into Cor’s space, eyes half lidded and mouth parted, gaze dropping from Cor’s eyes to his lips, Cor found himself thinking yet again ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’ and closed the distance between them.

Then Loqi’s arms were over his shoulders, his fingers buried in Cor’s hair as he kissed back frantically. Cor had Loqi pressed against the edge of the pool table, one hand on his hip the other gripping the fabric of Loqi’s shirt. Loqi mumbled something against Cor’s lips, but it was lost as Cor licked into his mouth, Loqi’s tongue hot and hesitant against his own.

Then the sound of Loqi’s friends cheering from the front of the bar made Loqi startle, laughing against Cor’s mouth; he raised a middle finger in their direction, while his other hand slid down Cor’s jaw, fingers soft against Cor’s skin.

Loqi was blushing hard at the attention, his lips already red and kiss bruised and his breath short. He followed Cor’s lips when he pulled away.

“As far as I see it we have two choices. One, the night ends here for us, I pay for your drinks and you feel free to stay here and continue your celebration,”

Loqi blinked up at Cor, owlish and confused, bottom lip stuck out in a pout before Cor boxed him in, hands on either side of Loqi’s hips as he leaned in to whisper his other idea in Loqi’s ear, low and gravelly.

“Or two, you can come back to my hotel room and we continue this as far as you’d like.”

Loqi’s breathing quickened, his fingers tightening where his hand had instinctively wrapped around Cor’s bicep, his grip making the dark leather creak.

“Take me with you,” Loqi whispered with no hesitation, staring up at Cor with clear green eyes.

Cor paid his tab as Loqi had a few quick words with his friends, the enduring blush on his face an obvious indication of his reason for abandoning them for the night. After some loud indiscreet ribbing, Loqi slipped away, pulling Cor by the hand outside the bar, the bells rattling behind them.

“After you,” Loqi said sweetly, giving Cor’s fingers a squeeze.

...

They barely made it back to Cor’s room before Cor had Loqi against the door, hands under his shirt and tongue back in his mouth. Loqi whimpered softly, arms back around Cor’s neck as he pressed their bodies closer together. Cor took the opportunity to direct Loqi in the direction of the bed, Loqi stumbling when the back of his knees hit the mattress.

Then Cor had Loqi pinned to the bed, hips wedged between his thighs, fingers ghosting along his ribs as he kissed his way down Loqi’s jaw, nipping the tender flesh as Loqi squirmed under him, breathy and responsive.

“What are you up for?” Cor licked at Loqi’s ear after he asked, Loqi shivering under him.

“I’m not sure,” Loqi answered, his voice somehow uncertain and coy at the same time. “What would you like to do with me?”

“What I want is to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk straight tomorrow. But I’ll take whatever you’ll give me.” And maybe it sounded a little desperate, certainly not one of Cor’s usual lines, but he wanted Loqi in a carnal, visceral way and if Loqi couldn’t tell that from his words, he could certainly tell by the achingly hard cock pressed against the curve of his ass.

“I want—yes, that.”

His voice was a hesitant whisper and Cor made some soft needy noise against Loqi’s ear before leaning back and getting to work divesting Loqi of his clothes.

When Cor had Loqi down to his underwear, the blue fabric tented and wet with precome, Loqi put a hand out on Cor’s chest, stilling him. Loqi’s cheeks were flushed a delicate red and he avoided looking directly in Cor’s eyes, his gaze lowered to the column of Cor’s neck.

“Before anything else I just need to tell you that I’ve never done this before.”

And Cor raised a brow, sitting back on his haunches to give Loqi some space. “With another man?”

“With anyone.” Loqi admitted quietly. “I just wanted to warn you in case I’m, you know, really bad at it.” Loqi then looked concerned, worrying his bottom lip. “That is if you still even want to do it with me.”

And Cor’s heart pounded behind his ribs and the feeling in his gut was warm, almost fond at Loqi’s anxious words. Then it mixed with some dark, heady, feverishly hot feeling as Loqi’s words sunk in and he realized exactly what Loqi was saying.

“That’s not even a question,” Cor responded, his hand idly dropping to squeeze his own erection through his pants. “Just are you sure?”

Loqi nodded, the blush on his cheeks refusing to fade. He didn’t offer any other reasons or explanations, but he was willing and sober enough to know what he wanted and honestly at this point, rock hard and wedged between Loqi’s legs, that was enough for Cor.

Cor took it a little slower when he leaned back down to Loqi, he kissed along his shoulder and up the column of Loqi’s neck, lips soft as he brushed over Loqi’s ear.

“You want me to be your first?”

Loqi nodded desperately and Cor felt Loqi’s cock twitch against his thigh at the question; then Loqi’s fingers were anxiously tugging at the hem of Cor’s shirt and Cor pulled it over his head, Loqi’s fingers dragging over his chest.

“Anything you want,” Cor mumbled, enjoying the feeling of Loqi’s touch soft and purposeful on his skin.

Cor shed the rest of his clothes, acutely aware of Loqi’s gaze on his cock as he pulled the fabric of his boxers down over his thighs. Cor wrapped his hand around one of Loqi’s, tugging it down gently so Loqi would touch him. Loqi took to the suggestion, fingers tentative as he slid them through the trail of hair on his lower belly, gaining confidence as he stroked Cor’s skin, Cor’s cock thrumming under Loqi’s touch.

“Can I take these off you?”

Loqi nodded as Cor’s fingers dipped below the waistband of his underwear, tugging the piece of clothing down over his hips and letting Loqi’s cock spring free.

Cor hummed in approval as he wrapped his hand around Loqi in kind, leaning forward to kiss Loqi again, lips insistent against Loqi’s slack mouth. When Loqi relaxed again under Cor’s touch, Cor pulled away, reaching over to dig in his overnight bag dropped by the side of the bed.

“Turn over.” Cor instructed, watching as Loqi slowly flipped and settled on his stomach in front of Cor. He let his fingers slide over Loqi’s spine, counting the knobs as he trailed down to Loqi’s tailbone.

“If it hurts or you want to stop, tell me.” Cor said seriously, slicking his fingers with the bottle of lube retrieved from his bag. He laid back down next to Loqi and kissed him, giving soft distracting nips along his jaw as his fingers slid down Loqi’s lower back and over his ass.

Cor’s blood pumped hot through his veins as he fingered Loqi open, each muffled noise and delicate whimper setting Cor’s insides on fire. By the time he’d worked a third finger into Loqi’s tight hole, Loqi was panting, hips instinctively fucking the mattress, and Cor’s cock was so hard it ached.

“Just try to relax, I’ll...take care of you.” Cor said at a distance, his voice coming out less reassuring than he meant to sound.

And Loqi was still nervous beneath his hands, achingly soft skin chilled and covered in goosebumps.

To say Cor was out of his element was an understatement; Cor’s touch had never been gentle in the way he needed to be for Loqi. Cor was usually self-assured when it came to his lovers, but the thought of hurting Loqi while so trusting and vulnerable left a rock in the pit of his stomach.

His hands were gentle as he pulled Loqi’s hips back, fingers spreading Loqi open again. Cor heard a muffled little gasp when he pressed his cock to Loqi’s hole, then a more forceful pant as he pushed inside the tight ring of muscle.

Cor waited a moment, listening for Loqi to plead with him to stop, but Loqi’s breathing was still steady, even as he shifted his hips uncomfortably. Once he found a better position, Loqi reached out to touch Cor’s hand, the gesture reassuringly gentle. The look in his eyes though, was anything but.

“I’m fine, don’t stop.”

And with that plea soothing his mind, Cor sunk into Loqi fully, Loqi gasping hard as Cor’s cock drove as deep as possible into his body. Loqi let out a strangled little moan as he clenched around Cor, then his voice was almost wondrous as he whispered:

“Fuck, you’re really in me,”

And a hot feeling churned in Cor’s gut, the arousal and guilt warring deep in his soul. He really shouldn’t be enjoying taking Loqi’s virginity this much, but he’d never been so turned on in his life. From the first real glance he’d had of Loqi, of his golden blonde hair, of the curve of his neck as he swallowed his shot, of the loud brassy laughter after he’d come up sputtering, Cor had been drawn to Loqi. Had wanted to look into those pretty eyes, whisper in his ear, and hear him laugh again.

And now to be the first to touch Loqi like this; some dark possessive feeling caused Cor to grip Loqi’s hips tighter, his lips finding the soft spot behind Loqi’s ear and marking him to the sound of Loqi’s breathy gasps.

Cor took Loqi achingly slow, letting Loqi adjust to the feeling of Cor’s cock moving in and out of him. Loqi’s body was tight and tense and Cor was going half mad from the reckless desire to fuck Loqi as hard and deep as possible. He only upped his pace once Loqi started moving against him on his own, his gritted teeth and breathy huffs taking on a more desperate, needy pitch.

Cor then wrapped an arm around Loqi’s chest and fucked him desperately, their skin sliding together slick and filthy, Loqi’s fingers scrabbling uselessly for purchase on the crumpled sheets below him.

Loqi couldn’t keep quiet under Cor’s body, whining and gasping as each stroke punched the air from his lungs. When Loqi moaned out what might have been Cor’s name, Cor snaked an arm under Loqi’s hips, gripping Loqi’s cock tight. A few moments later Loqi buried his face in the sheets and came over Cor’s fingers, his body tightening like a vice around Cor’s cock. With a low moan Cor pulled out, embarrassing himself by coming over Loqi’s thighs before he could control himself.

Cor rolled off of Loqi and settled next to him, his chest heaving as he fought to get air back in his lungs.

“Fuck,” Cor mumbled, pulling a hand through his sweaty hair. He couldn’t remember the last time an orgasm had left him so shaken and drained, although his body still felt electric where their skin touched.

“Are you all right?” Cor slid his fingers up Loqi’s shoulder, nudging him to turn and lay against Cor’s body. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” And Cor’s heart was starting to slow, but it felt a little hollow as he worried he’d been too rough, too needy, had taken too much from Loqi.

“I’m fine, just a little sore, but that’s normal right?”

Cor nodded, tugging Loqi a little closer to himself. Loqi took the hint, throwing an arm over Cor’s chest and curling himself against Cor’s side.

“As long as you’re all right.” And Cor felt Loqi smile against his skin.

  


“So what is your last name?”

There had been a few minutes of silence between them, Cor simply holding Loqi, fingers carding through his hair while Loqi fought to keep his eyes open.

“Why?”

Loqi laughed a little self-indulgently. “Only so I know what my last name will be when I marry you because this whole night has been fucking amazing.”

Cor shook his head in amusement, lips turned up despite himself.

“Leonis.”

And Loqi froze, though Cor could feel his heart jackhammering behind his ribs.

“You’re Cor the Immortal?”

And it wasn’t awe in his voice, like when other partners had discovered his fame, or humiliation that he hadn’t realized sooner; it was fear and panic in Loqi’s voice. And Cor realized all at once what that meant as Loqi rolled off of him, falling to the floor with a thud as he scrambled for his jeans.

Cor was faster. Cor was always faster. With his katana summoned and pressed against Loqi’s ribs, Loqi let the dagger he’d fished from his pants fall limply from his hand.

“I take it the military you’ve just joined is part of the Empire.”

Cor’s voice was cold, emotionless, it didn’t matter that ten minutes earlier he’d had his cock halfway up Loqi’s guts while their hands intertwined.

“Gralean born and raised.” Loqi said from the floor, unrepentant pride in his voice, those soft green eyes suddenly hard as steel.

“Well you’ll make a fine martyr for the Empire.”

Loqi scowled, eyes meeting Cor’s as the words sunk in.

“You going to kill me right here?” And Loqi’s voice was surprisingly steady for possibly facing his last moments of life.

“No,” Cor said finally, “we’re in a hotel in a neutral country and both still undressed. I think it’s best if you put your clothes back on, walk out the door and go back to Gralea tonight.”

Loqi remained where he was half slumped on the floor, brain processing Cor’s words.

“You’re just going to let me go?”

“I’m not looking for a scandal.”

Loqi frowned at Cor’s words as he stood and slowly redressed under Cor’s watchful eye.

“We’re enemies now, Cor Leonis. It wasn’t personal before, but it is now.” Loqi’s voice was low and cold, defiant, but there was a hitched distress in the way he exhaled and Cor couldn’t help but wonder exactly what was going through Loqi’s mind after discovering he’d lost his virginity to his country’s most infamous adversary.

Cor couldn’t help but nod at Loqi’s sentiment, eyes steely as he watched Loqi back toward the door. “You’re right about that.”

Then Loqi’s hand was on the doorknob, wrenching it open. “I’ll be looking for you on the battlefield, Cor.” And the door slammed shut, Loqi gone and Cor’s head left spinning.

…

That was the last Cor assumed he’d see of Loqi. An eighteen year old green recruit wasn’t likely to be sent on missions against The Immortal; Cor at least hoped that the Empire would do better than simply deliver novices for Cor to cut down.

Truthfully he hoped it wouldn’t come down to that, because even weeks later, he still found himself thinking of Loqi’s eyes and his hair and his voice. He thought of Loqi’s hesitant touch and easy smile. He thought of Loqi’s bare flawless skin and the desperate moans he’d made when Cor was on top of him, in him. Cor knew it’d be a shame to take a creature like that out of the world; thought it best they never meet again.

But life never worked exactly the way Cor thought it would.


	2. Chapter 2

A month after his fateful meeting with Loqi, Cor was sent on another mission outside of Insomnia’s walls.

The sun was high in the sky as Cor set foot in the small town of at the base of the volcano. It was barely on maps and often overshadowed by larger cities when traveling through to Ravatough, but the rumor of an Empire reconnaissance team using the town as a base of operations was serious enough for King Regis to send Cor to investigate himself.

The town was little more than a dusty pile of buildings, heat and ash blown in from the smoking volcano giving the entire settlement a hazy grey hue that stung Cor’s eyes and made his collar itch. He wasn’t sure what good would be gleaned by scouting in this area, but he couldn’t say he minded the opportunity to leave the city for a few nights.

Cor booked himself a room before heading to the town’s only diner hoping to scrape together some information and rumors. And possibly lunch.

Luckily for Cor the young woman manning the grill at the diner was the chatty type; simultaneously cooking his burger and filling Cor in on all the new faces she’d seen in town after a few leading questions.

Cor put together that a group of two dozen or so Empire soldiers were holed up in a tent camp on the outskirts of town. The excuse given to the chef and other curious citizens was that they were a group of geological students studying Ravatough, but in her opinion their tools and drills looked suspect, like none she had ever seen before.

It was all the information Cor needed to request some immediate Crownsguard backup and eliminate whatever the scouting group was planning for the area.

During the hours waiting for his companions to arrive, Cor staked out the camp himself, a haven surrounded by tents and soldiers and machinery. Even from afar Cor could see the stockpile of disguised weapons and a worrying pile of metal limbs four soldiers were welding at the edge of the camp. Cor wondered what new scheme the Empire was attempting so deep into enemy territory, and it was testing his patience waiting for backup.

Afternoon had faded to evening when Cor received a call indicating his companions had reached the town. He quietly left his look-out to rejoin them, filling in his subordinates of what he’d discovered at the camp.

  


As dusk fell Cor and the handful of Crownsguard elite surprised the camp of soldiers; Cor signaled his arrival with twin firagas that he lobbed into the center of the circle of tents, the fabric catching quickly and sending the soldiers scattering like insects avoiding the flames.

As the rest of the Crownsguard flooded the burning campsite, Cor heard the sound of screams and gunshots and swords clashing; he didn’t feel particularly good about the loss of life, but he was satisfied that the Nifs would be dealt with swiftly, no damage or casualties coming from the town of innocents.

Cor summoned his sword and joined the battle, stalking past the pockets of fighting to head straight to the corner of the camp he had seen the pile of metal limbs earlier. He’d had a sinking feeling in his gut since catching sight of the contraption and wanted to sate his curiosity if the machine was more than scrap.

Cor stopped once he was at the edge of the camp, taking in the sight of the pile of metal shaped in the vague form of a creature with a body and legs.

Then the ground beneath Cor shook as the machine powered up and raised to its feet, its spider leg limbs digging deep into the dirt as it spun to face Cor. It towered over him, and made the air stink with the odor of oil and smoke and gunpowder. Cor could see a reflective window in the body of the mech and assumed some pilot inside was watching him in turn.

For a moment Cor was at a loss for how to combat the machine, but that moment almost cost him as the mech opened two hatches on its main compartment that revealed a line of missiles aimed at him.

Cor swore as he dodged the barrage, dirt and ash and rock exploding into the air as the missiles detonated where he had been standing only a moment before.

Cor found himself in a chase then, the machine lumbering after him with heavy steps and a seemingly limitless arsenal of ammo.

In a bare field with no cover, Cor was at a loss as the machine thundered ever closer. Taking a chance, Cor turned back to face the approaching mech, hoping its bulk and momentum would keep it from stopping or slowing easily. Cor’s gamble paid off as the machine scuttled right over him, leaving its legs defenseless. Cor struck out at the leg closest to him as it passed over, watching with satisfaction as the mech stumbled the next few steps.

Then Cor attacked again, hacking at another leg, leaving the machine to wobble on its remaining feet until it regained its balance, foul black oil pouring onto the dirt from the punctured metal. Cor saw then his only option was to bring it to its knees just as he would any other creature that outsized him.

Cor summoned a ball of ice magic, hurling it under the mech as it turned; the blizzaga rocked the machine as it discharged, freezing the limbs and leaving the metal brittle. Cor could smell burning oil in the air as the mech’s engines overheated when it tried futilely to force the frozen limbs to move. Cor took the opportunity to continue destroying the metal legs, using every weapon and bit of magic in his arsenal to do as much damage as possible while the machine stood immobile, unable to lock on to Cor as he stayed out of target range below the sight-line of the mech.

Cor could hear alarms blaring above him from the inside of the mech as he carved one last time down the closest leg of the machine, the metal peeling back and shearing off as the internal pistons fought to stay upright. Cor backed away from the machine, watching as oily black smoke erupted from its engines, flames sprouting quickly from the overheating components as the ice melted away.

The mech staggered and then a hatch opened, a small figure dropping to the ground and rolling away, their clothes singed as flames licked at the edges of the open hatch. The mech continued to list to the side, its body engulfed with flames, its structure groaning, the metal twisted and blackened; Cor paid it no mind, his eyes only on the pilot.

The pilot stood slowly and with some difficulty, a hand lingering at their thigh where a crimson stain stood out starkly against the white fabric. The pilot faced Cor and he could see the tense set of their shoulders, the way their hands balled into fists.

And then Cor felt as though he’d been sucker punched as the ejected pilot unlatched his helmet and pulled it off, revealing none other than Loqi.

They faced each other on the battlefield; amidst the ash and carnage and destruction, staring silently as the battle raged around them. Off to Cor’s side the smoking heap of machinery finally shrieked and collapsed and Cor could see Loqi’s gaze trail from the destroyed mech to Cor, his face impassive.

And even as his heart beat out of his chest, Cor responded in turn when Loqi drew his weapon and readied it.

“Why did it have to be you?” Loqi called over, grip tight on some short sword that had never seen blood, its edge sharp and untested.

“Maybe it’s fate.” Cor said humorlessly, not knowing which of their encounters Loqi was referring to.

“I don’t believe in fate.”

“That doesn’t really matter, does it?”

“I guess not.” Cor could only see Loqi’s lips move as he uttered the words under his breath, then Loqi began his attack, his mech as well as the rest of the battle forgotten as his sharp eyes focused entirely on Cor.

Loqi made up for his size by being fast, his sword glinting in the fading sunlight as it arced towards Cor’s body. But Cor hadn’t received his reputation by allowing himself to be thrown off-guard by a quick blade or an agile opponent. As their swords clashed, the screech of metal rung in Cor’s ears. Cor spun away and their swords slid apart leaving the sharp tang of metal heavy in the air. Loqi regained his stance and came at Cor again, the angered noise low in his throat more growl than roar.

Cor caught Loqi’s swing with the edge of his katana, throwing Loqi off balance again, his feet skidding across ash. When Loqi swung again wildly in frustration, Cor easily deflected the blade and hastily threw his weight against Loqi, sending his smaller body tumbling toward the ground. Loqi struck the packed dirt hard, somehow keeping his grip on his sword even as his body rolled to a stop. Loqi groaned, a fleeting hand pressed again to his thigh before he pushed his torso off of the ground and twisted to look in Cor’s direction.

  


And Loqi was panting, chest heaving as he looked up at Cor from where he’d been rolled across the dirt. Ash and embers lit the air around him and Loqi’s eyes were some dangerous mix of defiant confidence and roiling fury. Yet underneath Cor could see the self-doubt, the hesitance, something substantial lingering in the murky green depths.  
And Cor couldn’t help but think of Loqi as he had been the night they’d met, wild-eyed and beautiful.

And when he met Loqi’s eyes he knew Loqi was thinking of the same thing.

  


The air between them changed almost imperceptibly; Cor could see the gears turning in Loqi’s head and he wondered what Loqi saw in turn as he looked over at Cor where he stood, filthy and bloodstained and feral.

Loqi swiped the back of his hand over his mouth, smearing blood over his lips and chin. He gave one last lingering look at Cor and then was up and running, back into the fray, Cor forgotten behind him.

  


The sureness of Loqi’s action left Cor’s heart pounding and his grip too tight on his katana, the leather hot beneath his hand.

...

Cor and his handful of troops clawed their way to victory, leaving the outskirts of the town littered with Empire soldier’s bodies. To Cor’s relief Loqi’s body wasn’t among them. When the tide had turned, Loqi and a few other soldiers retreated back into town, no doubt planning on blending in with the townspeople for a night or two before making an actual escape back to Nif soil.

Cor was pulled in two directions; he’d had the chance to put Loqi down once again, end his dreams of glory in the Empire and snuff out one of Gralea’s rising stars with something as easy as a swing from his sword.

And yet.

The look in Loqi’s eyes burned down into his core; the defiance, and the idealism, and the passion had left Cor breathless, as struck by Loqi as the first time he’d laid eyes on him.

It left Cor’s insides twisted and a lump in his throat when he considered how to move forward with Loqi on the enemy lines and how Cor was obviously compromised in his own mind.

Cor sighed, thinking he was too damn old to have this sort of problem after so many years of absolute loyalty and self-assuredness when it came to protecting his Kingdom. He hoped that a glass or two of whiskey at this point would help take his mind off of Loqi and every unwanted feeling seeing him again had relit.

…

And by chance Loqi was there at the bar Cor had chosen to patronize, looking as though he’d come directly from the battlefield, dirt smudged on his jaw, the ends of his hair singed, his bloodied face unamused as he nursed a glass of whiskey. Cor’s throat tightened as he saw the scrapes and bruises he had caused himself.

On neutral ground, Cor took a chance and sat next to him, his action bolder than he felt.

“Loqi.”

“I’m going to stop you right there.” Loqi snarled, fingers curling reflexively around his glass. “I’m not in the mood so if the next words out of your mouth aren’t ‘come back to my room’ then you can fuck right off, Cor.”

Cor felt his breath catch at the brusque words and looked hard at Loqi, blonde bangs hiding his eyes as Loqi hung his head over his drink.

He shouldn’t, but.

“Come back to my room, Loqi.”

Loqi froze as though he hadn’t expected that answer, then drained his drink and stood, giving Cor a wary, expectant look.

Cor stood and Loqi followed him out.

...

Loqi’s teeth nipped hard as Cor bullied him onto the mattress; he tore at Loqi’s clothes, rough and animalistic, and it felt almost like a battle for dominance as Cor grappled Loqi against the sheets. Loqi put up a token fight, then gradually relaxed as Cor’s lips traveled down his tender belly, kissing his way to Loqi’s cock and licking the hot flesh to the music of Loqi’s gasps.

Loqi was as hesitant as the first time, his heart beating fast under Cor’s touch, although his body adjusted quicker this time and when Cor finally slid his cock fully into Loqi he moaned and pressed back, whispering into the pillow how badly he’d wanted Cor to fuck him again.

Neither lasted long, the abrupt reunion ending with both panting and sweating and lying in a puddle of come.

  


Loqi was much less abrasive after being fucked, his body relaxed and slack draped over Cor’s chest, his fingers winding through Cor’s chest hair, teeth nipping occasionally at the hard set of Cor’s jaw.

“So why haven’t you killed me yet? Now would be the time to catch me off guard.” Loqi yawned, closing his mouth fully around the column of Cor’s throat and shifting further onto Cor to avoid the wet spot on the blanket.

“I could ask you the same question.” Cor said back evenly, trailing his fingers down Loqi’s spine.

“Who says I haven’t thought about it?” Loqi pushed himself up on his forearms so he could look Cor in the eye, his grin cheeky. “But what would be the glory in that? When I defeat you I want it to be on the battlefield in front of witnesses.”

Cor pinched Loqi on an ass cheek hard enough to make him yelp. “You’re a pain in the ass.”

Loqi rubbed the reddened skin. “You’re one to talk. Especially today after what you did, I’m the one that’s going to be blamed for that ruined mech.”

“If you’d stayed out of Lucis you wouldn’t have that problem.”

Loqi rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. I follow orders. I assume you do as well.”

“I make the orders.”

Loqi rolled his eyes even more dramatically and Cor tumbled Loqi, pinning him under his bulk, leaving Loqi looking half wary half aroused.

“So why did you approach me at the bar?” Loqi demanded quietly, changing the subject and placing a hand over Cor’s chest to feel his heartbeat throb under his fingertips.

“I don’t know. Why did you ask me to take you back to my room?” Cor questioned back, too close to Loqi’s ear and easily feeling the shudder that ran down his spine.

“Because,” And Loqi bit his lip, swallowing audibly. “Because I couldn’t get you out of my mind. Even knowing who you were,” Loqi trailed off, a concerned scowl knitting his brows together. “Somehow that made it even hotter? Fuck. I don’t know; I just wanted you to fuck me again. I didn’t think you’d actually say yes.”

Cor felt the blood rush back to his cock and he tightened his arms around Loqi, pressing his lips to Loqi’s jaw, the threat of teeth sharp against his skin.

“I thought of you, too.” Cor admitted, low and strained, his lips moving against soft skin. “How good it felt to fuck you for the first time; wanted the chance to be in you again.”

Loqi’s breath caught in his throat and he groaned, hands moving up to grip Cor’s shoulders.

“As good as you remembered?” Loqi grit out as Cor’s hand slid down his navel and wrapped around his cock.

“Better.”

...

“Shit,” Loqi swore as he woke up, yawning and looking at the clock on the nightstand as sunlight streamed in through the blinds. “If I don’t check in soon what’s left of my squad will wonder what happened to me.” Loqi rolled away from Cor and out of bed and Cor had one last look at the curve of his ass before Loqi shimmied into his wadded up jeans. He fished his phone from his pocket and without any hesitation, unlocked it and handed it to Cor. “Give me your number.”

And Cor thought of a thousand reasons he shouldn’t, but he programmed his number in anyway. It seemed when it came to Loqi, Cor’s mind was stuck in a perpetual cycle of thinking ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’

Loqi narrowed his eyes suspiciously when Cor handed it back and pressed the button to call, waiting for Cor’s phone on the side table to vibrate. When it did Loqi smiled, slid his phone in his pocket, and leaned back onto the bed to give Cor a deep, smoldering kiss, fingers on the back of Cor’s neck holding him close. Then Loqi pulled away and was out the door before even tugging his t-shirt down over his head.

As he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stretched Cor wondered just what the hell he’d gotten himself into.

…

Loqi was the first to text, a couple days later and with something irreverent that Cor mostly disregarded. The next three messages were more difficult to ignore and finally the next night Cor answered, something impersonal, but an acknowledgment nonetheless.

And then the floodgates opened and texts poured in, beginning innocently enough; fun, flirtatious, simple things like ‘good morning’ and ‘how’s your day’ and then later the less than subtle texts that would appear at three AM reading ‘thinking of you’ or ‘wish you were here’ and those would get Cor’s blood pumping as he struggled to sleep.

It took a few weeks for the conversations to become wholly inappropriate.

And even less time for it to be only sent from Loqi’s end.

It was entirely new territory for Cor, lying in bed alone texting suggestive, almost downright filthy things to Loqi and knowing that a continent away Loqi was doing the same. It was a uniquely frustrating action, to read Loqi’s words of what he wanted Cor to do to him at that moment and be able to do nothing more than take himself in hand and jerk himself off to the memories of fucking Loqi.

Frustrating, indeed.

But Cor continued, liking the attention, liking being in Loqi’s thoughts, hell, even liking Loqi.

Before Cor knew it a month had passed and he looked forward to hearing from Loqi, even taking the initiative to text first when it had been a day since his last message.

It got to the point where others noticed.

  


“You finally get yourself a girlfriend?” Clarus’s voice startled Cor from where he was concentrating on his phone, leaned over the boardroom desk awaiting a meeting with Regis. Clarus was a few seats away, but he had spun his chair to face Cor and it was obvious he’d been watching Cor intently for several minutes.

“No.” Cor looked up, his expression practiced impassiveness.

“Could’ve fooled me. You’ve been attached to your phone for weeks. Which is funny because you never answer my calls.”

“And the way he _smiles_ at it. I didn’t think he was capable.” Drautos added, laughing at the scowl Cor sent his way when he dropped heavily into the chair across the table from Cor. “I’d bet my paycheck you’re sleeping with whoever you keep texting.”

“Keep your money; it’s none of your business.”

Drautos just laughed. “That’s as good as a confession, Leonis.”

Regis entered the room then and Drautos quieted and Clarus turned to give his attention to the King. Cor straightened up in his chair, sliding his phone back in his pocket and tried not to smile as he felt the continued vibrations buzz against his thigh.

...

Things continued that way for the next couple of months, and it was on the morning of Cor’s 39th birthday Cor discovered a single text reading ‘I want to see you’ followed by several photos of Loqi barely dressed and the address and room number of a motel in Tenebrae.

Cor didn’t know whether to be impressed or disturbed that Loqi knew when his birthday was, but simply ignored the intrusive thought, his head flopping back on his pillow. The erection he’d woken up with was a more pressing matter, as it stirred and ached almost painfully beneath the sheets.

Scrolling through Loqi’s pictures again, Cor let his hand drift down his navel, his knuckles brushing over hot flesh. Cor wanted, after months apart Cor couldn’t help but have Loqi constantly on his mind, couldn’t help but imagine his hands on Loqi, and Loqi’s hands on him, their bodies intertwined, touching and fucking.

Cor’s fingers moved faster as he stroked himself, body tightening as he imagined Loqi’s hands on his cock instead. Cor groaned as he came hard over his fingers, his toes curling where they were planted against the mattress.

After catching his breath, Cor picked up his phone with his clean hand, taking one more look at the array of photos before texting Loqi back.

‘Well happy birthday to me’

A few minutes later Loqi sent his reply and Cor couldn’t help sighing in anticipation as his tired cock twitched.

‘More where that came from’

…

Cor was impatient as he stared at the clock on his office wall; he’d shuffled papers and appeared busy for the last half an hour, but as his day came to an end his leg bounced anxiously while he watched the seconds tick by.

Cor was distracted enough by his unfocused clock-watching that he didn’t notice the shadow of a figure right outside his door. Clarus pushed Cor’s door open as he knocked, leaning heavily against the doorframe and taking in the sight of Cor half slumped over his desk, chin rested on his hand, eyes bored and glassy.

“Don’t stop working on my account,” Clarus laughed to himself as Cor sat back quickly, smoothing the wrinkles on his jacket.

“You caught me, what do you need?”

“Oh nothing important. I just seem to remember it’s your birthday today. I came by to make sure you weren’t going to sit at home alone or some other sad sack shit you usually do.”

Cor exhaled a laugh, regarding his friend fondly. “And what if I was?”

“Well I seem to remember you liking whiskey, if nothing else I’m sure we could find a bar up to your standards around the city somewhere. Or I could break out that ‘for emergency use only’ bottle I keep in my desk drawer.”

Cor laughed again easily as he shook his head. “Well thanks for the invitation but no worries, you’re off the hook. I actually do have plans tonight.”

Clarus schooled back his surprise. “No kidding? This the secret lover you’re always on the phone with? I’m a little offended I haven’t met this woman yet.”

Cor shrugged, biting the inside of his lip. “We meet outside the city.”

“Country girl, huh? Alright, _Cid_. Have a good birthday.”

Cor scowled and Clarus’s laughter followed him down the hallway as he backed out of the doorway and left.

Cor sighed once he was alone again, leaning forward against his desk. It didn’t sit well in Cor’s stomach to lie to his friends, even if it was a lie by omission. But there was no easy way to explain that he was sleeping with an eighteen year old man in the Empire military; Cor wasn’t even sure which aspect of the relationship would be the most egregious in his friends’ eyes. At this point it just seemed easier to keep that part of his life hidden, keeping to himself as he always had.

…

Cor stood in the darkness waiting after he knocked on the motel room door. He hadn’t wanted to show up empty-handed nor did he want Loqi to take the notion of a gift the wrong way, so he’d picked up a box of assorted Tenebraen pastries. Cor knew Regis had developed a weakness for them in his time spent in Tenebrae and Cor figured if the cute little cakes were good enough for royalty, Loqi would appreciate them as well.

Loqi answered the door with a smile, reaching out to grab Cor by the jacket before pulling him inside and against him, Loqi’s arms snaking around Cor’s shoulders.

“I have been thinking of you all day,” Loqi said softly, his fingers crawling beneath Cor’s collar to press against Cor’s skin. Cor bent down to kiss Loqi, shrugging off his arms to press the box into Loqi’s hands then resting his empty hands around Loqi’s hips. Loqi’s eyes lit up as he spied the desserts and he flipped open the box, choosing a mini cake to pop in his mouth before picking out another to press against Cor’s lips. Cor opened his mouth, licking the powdered sugar from Loqi’s fingers and a moment later the box of pastries was on the side table and Loqi was back in Cor’s arms, his mouth sweet as he stole kiss after kiss from Cor.

Before Cor knew it he was stripped bare and on his back on the mattress, Loqi straddling his leg, pale torso arched over his thighs as he swallowed down Cor’s cock. Cor could feel Loqi’s hesitance and inexperience in his touch, but the blood surging down his body didn’t care, just the sight of Loqi’s lips wrapped around his cock causing pressure to build under his skin.

Finally Cor pulled Loqi up and off his cock, dragging Loqi to straddle him fully so their lips could meet and his fingers could slide down Loqi’s spine. Loqi shyly handed Cor a bottle of lube from the nightstand, burying his face against Cor’s neck as Cor’s slick fingers opened Loqi up. Loqi squirmed against Cor’s hips, his cock leaking and smearing against Cor’s lower belly, his voice breathless gasps below Cor’s jaw.

“I’m ready,” Loqi pleaded, leaning up on his knees so Cor could reach to slick his own cock. “Please.”

Then Loqi sank down on Cor’s lap, gasping as Cor stretched and filled him. It only took a few seconds for Loqi to recover before he moved his hips, hands on Cor’s chest for balance as he slid Cor’s cock in and out of his body.

Cor could tell Loqi had gained more confidence in their time apart, pulling Cor’s hands to his body and quietly demanding his touch and mumbling some of the filthy phrases he’d written about Cor directly into Cor’s ear.

It was only the third time they’d fucked but Loqi seemed to feel more comfortable and at ease in his arms, relaxing into his touch as Cor laved him with months of pent up arousal and need. Cor had let Loqi be in control for as long as he pleased, but at the sight of fresh sweat on Loqi’s brow and his chest heaving, Cor wrapped his fingers around Loqi’s hips and planted his feet on the mattress, holding Loqi in place as he fucked up into him.

Cor squeezed his eyes shut as he heard Loqi’s moans crescendo and felt Loqi’s nails dig into his flesh. Then Loqi was curved over Cor, whispering against his cheek.

“You can come in me,” Loqi’s voice was achingly low and it almost pushed Cor over the edge with just the words hot and husky against his ear.

Cor couldn’t articulate much past a questioning exhale of: “Yeah?” before Loqi was nodding, face still pressed against Cor’s.

And once Cor wrung Loqi’s orgasm from him, felt the spatter of come against his chest, he did, almost growling as he slammed up into Loqi and pumped him full, Cor’s fingers gripping Loqi’s thighs too tight as his hips flexed again and again.

  


Loqi’s chest was still heaving when he suggested a shower, laughing as he dragged a finger over Cor’s abdomen. Cor agreed and followed, letting Loqi lead the way.

Then Cor felt a primal sort of possession as he stepped into the shower after Loqi, when he saw the warm trail of come sliding down the back of Loqi’s thigh, and knew there was more in him, deep and secret. Cor was kissing Loqi again before he could even flip on the water and Loqi’s fingers instantly buried in Cor’s hair as he kissed back just as desperately.

…

“Are you sleeping with anyone else?”

The question was quiet from Loqi’s lips, but Cor heard him clearly in the darkness from where he was tucked under Cor’s chin, lips mumbling against his chest.

“And if you are, I mean it’s not my business, I know, I just,” Loqi sighed, his words failing him. “Are you?”

“No, there’s no one else.” And that was the truth, Cor hadn’t done so much as look at another man since Loqi had insinuated himself into Cor’s life. But Cor didn’t mention that in the wake of his physical need for Loqi his lonely nights were spent touching himself in the darkness with Loqi’s name on his tongue, pining for his touch and thinking of his soft green eyes and wicked smile before coming over his knuckles.

Loqi didn’t hide his relief as he relaxed and sunk back closer in Cor’s embrace.

Cor was almost willing to let the conversation lie where it fell and go to sleep, but an insecure, jealous side of him insisted he know the answer as well.

“Are you?”

And Loqi didn’t seem bothered by Cor prying; rather he seemed pleased at the question, his fingers dragging down the trail of hair below Cor’s navel absently.

“No. Only you.”

And the moment struck Cor as more significant than either had let it seem; he wondered idly if that was Loqi’s clumsy attempt of asking Cor to be exclusive, or possibly asking for a relationship itself.

Truthfully Cor wouldn’t know what to do with the question if Loqi asked it directly. He couldn’t deny that there was something between them, but along with that nebulous attraction and need for one another, Lucis and the Empire stood between them as well.

Past that it was difficult to ponder any sort of future when they needed to remain secretive when they weren’t actively trying to kill one another.

Cor let his arms rest over Loqi, gentle as he ran his fingertips down Loqi’s ribs. Loqi made some soft pleased sound and Cor decided it wasn’t the right night for those thoughts, it was far past midnight but as far as Cor was concerned it was still his birthday and Cor wasn’t going to ruin it by worrying about the future.

…

As time passed, months became years, and Cor spent more and more time outside the city; long weekends were spent on the road and in hotel rooms, weekdays ordinary and unassuming in his office. It felt as though he was living a double life that his friends and coworkers were painfully aware of but never willing to pry into for details. Cor grew used to the restless guilt in his gut, used to the feeling of being pulled indefinitely between his loyalty to his country and his heart that every day beat a little stronger for Loqi.

…

It was Wednesday afternoon and Clarus was at Cor’s office door, leaning on the wooden frame as usual. Cor looked up from the last remnants of his paperwork before Clarus had the chance to knock, setting his work aside as Clarus took a few easy steps into the room.

“Heading out of the city again already?” Cor nodded before Clarus had even finished the question. “Maybe I should take some time off in the country, too. Gladio has been asking recently to go out for a family camping trip and I should really get to it soon… won’t be too much longer before he’ll see it as a chore to hang out with his old man.”

Cor gave Clarus a relaxed smile. “He’s a good kid; he deserves a break from training as well.”

“He’s a pain in the ass, you mean” Clarus laughed fondly. “Reminds me far too much of myself at that age.”

Clarus took a step back to the door, raising his hand to grab a handful of the frame.

“I know I’ve brought it up before, but I really would like to meet this secret lover of yours. It’s been years Cor; you can’t lie and tell me they aren’t important to you at this point. Whoever this person is must be special to deal with your stubborn ass for this long.”

Cor couldn’t help but appreciate Clarus’s words, heard the cautious open-ended pronouns and wondered if there really would be a chance in the future of revealing to his friends just who claimed so much of Cor’s time and heart.

“I’ll try to figure something out,” Cor said at a distance, unwilling to promise too much. But Clarus seemed to accept it good-naturedly, taking another step out the door.

“Good. You know, I’m only being pushy so that I’m sure there’ll be someone to take care of you in your old age. Believe me, any day those greys are going to start sprouting.”

Cor scowled, a hand subconsciously rising to his temple.

“At least I still have hair to go grey.”

“Low blow.” But Clarus was laughing again, the sound following him out the door.

Cor sighed heavily once Clarus was out of earshot. It still left a knot in his stomach when his friends asked about Loqi. Yet even years later Cor was still left between a rock and a hard place, unable to reveal their relationship as the tensions between their countries ramped up exponentially each day.

Cor wished things were simpler, then wondered if there had ever been a point in his life where things were ever simple

…

Cor sat on the balcony of the small hotel in southern Cleigne he’d booked for the night. The moon and stars were high overhead and the breeze was warm on Cor’s face, the late night summer air still humid. Cor could hear the Wennath River flowing in the distance, the night air filled with the trill of frog songs and melodious insects. Cor leaned back with his eyes closed, fingers curled around the stem of a wineglass.

It didn’t take Loqi long to join him, the balcony door clicking shut behind him as Loqi slipped out of their room. Cor felt the light touch of Loqi’s fingers first on the back of his neck then run along his bare shoulder and down his arm. Then Loqi was on his lap and curled against Cor’s chest, his hair still damp from the shower, skin smooth and clean-smelling.

“I really enjoyed tonight,” Loqi mumbled, burying his hands in Cor’s hair to drag him down for a kiss. “I’m glad you were free for my birthday.”

Cor took a few more hungry kisses before he let Loqi pull away. “How long have we been at this? I wouldn’t forget.” Cor assured him, neglecting to mention what favors he needed to call in with Clarus and Drautos to give him a day off in the middle of the week.

“Still,” Loqi shifted to straddle Cor’s thighs, his fingers pressed hard against the planes of Cor’s broad chest. “I like to know you’re thinking of me. Because I am always thinking of you.”

Loqi scooted closer, the swell of his ass grinding against the hardening curve of Cor’s cock. When he wrapped his legs around Cor’s waist, Cor’s hands moved automatically to Loqi’s hips and then they were kissing again, an undercurrent of tender desperation in the touch.

A few minutes later Cor was buried deep in Loqi, Loqi’s face smothered against Cor’s neck to muffle his moans. Cor’s thrusts were muted and restrained by the position, but he reveled in the closeness; being nose to nose with Loqi, watching his mouth fall open in a sigh, his green eyes blinking soft and unfocused. Cor wanted to drink in the sight of Loqi; of his pale moonlit skin and handfuls of white gold hair. He’d let Loqi become crucial to him; let their lives become so intertwined they could no longer untangle.

“There, please,” Loqi whispered, too loudly, too brazen under the wild night sky, his fingers digging into Cor’s skin desperate as a plea. “I need you.”

“And I’m right here, I’ve got you,” Cor said softly, although a treacherous part of his mind wondered with all the forces working against them, how long he could keep those words the truth.

...

Months later when a city northwest of Ravatough Mountain requested help from the Capital, Cor was deployed to help protect against the invading Empire soldiers. It was a long, bloody fight, but even with the Immortal on their side, dogfighting in the streets along with the citizens, the Empire won, taking the land and demanding fealty. The Empire’s newest tactic of sending out wave after wave of MT soldiers was devastating and ruthlessly effective, overwhelming to the unprepared group of Lucian soldiers and hapless citizens.

Cor pulled back his troops to lick their wounds, disappointed in himself that he had to abandon the city as Gralea gained another foothold on the continent. Cor watched from a distance as a towering mech began its patrol of the city streets, vermin-like MT skittering around its feet.

  


Loqi was easy to find that night, in a hotel purposely outside the city. They didn’t talk about the day’s events, never willing to politicize their stolen nights. Yet Cor would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t enjoy Loqi after a victory though. His smile wide and toothy, his confidence soaring, Loqi took what he wanted from Cor, fingers making quick work of his belt and eyes smoldering as he sunk to his knees in front of Cor moments after he walked into the room. Cor was all but shoved against the door as Loqi yanked down his pants, his cock springing to attention as Loqi flicked his tongue against the head.

“I saw you today on the battlefield,” Loqi whispered, his breath hot against Cor’s thigh. “You were magnificent. You know you’re wasted in Lucis.”

“Loqi,” Cor warned, a bite in his voice. He buried his fingers in Loqi’s hair, giving the strands a gentle tug.

Loqi hummed casually before putting his mouth to better use.

  


When Loqi came up for air, tongue still striped with come, he stood up and pulled Cor to his feet, linking their fingers to lead them to the bathroom. When Loqi stripped and climbed into the shower Cor followed suit, unable to keep his fingers off Loqi’s hips as he adjusted the water.

Cor let Loqi wash his face and hair, but as soon as his hands dropped lower, his slippery fingers sliding over his ribs and waist, Cor pulled Loqi back against him, hands cupping Loqi’s as they skimmed over his skin. Loqi relaxed into Cor’s touch, resting the back of his head against Cor’s shoulder, leaving the column of his neck tender and exposed which Cor’s lips instantly found.

The sound of the steaming water against the tile drowned out Loqi’s gasps when Cor’s hands finally crawled their way to his cock. He arched against Cor’s chest and Cor’s cock slid easily between his thighs and then Cor was fucking him, Loqi doing little more than tightening his thighs and bracing his hands against the tile.

Cor felt when Loqi was close, his muscles tightening, his cock painfully hard, his fingers scrabbling uselessly at the smooth tiles. He whined low as he spilled over Cor’s fingers, and then Cor finished as well, leaving hot slick come dripping between Loqi’s thighs.

Loqi turned weakly, throwing boneless arms over Cor’s shoulder and pressing his too hot skin against Cor’s chest as he demanded kisses. Cor wrapped Loqi in his embrace, holding him up; holding them both up.

...

Loqi rest his head against Cor’s chest, fingers idly tracing the outlines of the muscles below his ribs. Loqi had a string of reddish bruises trailing down his neck where Cor had worried and nibbled the skin and Cor’s fingers pet along the marks possessively.

“Do you ever wish we could meet somewhere other than some seedy motel room?”

Loqi’s quiet voice broke the silence between them. And Cor wondered if he should tell Loqi yes, that’d he’d dreamed of having Loqi laid out and beautiful under him in his own bed. He dreamed of bringing Loqi back to his apartment overlooking Insomnia, of taking him next to the fireplace, with the backdrop of the lights of the city and the stars above; and then laying together for hours in the golden glow, time and responsibilities meaningless. The thought alone made Cor’s throat tighten.

“Where else would we go?” Cor said instead, a deflection if he’d ever heard one, unable to articulate all the wants he had when it came to Loqi, afraid to give voice to his needs when there were so many obstacles between them. It wasn’t fair to Loqi to give him false hope.

“I don’t know,” Loqi mumbled at a distance, his lips achingly soft as they dragged against Cor’s skin. “It was just a thought. Maybe just somewhere with softer sheets.” Loqi gave a feeble little laugh, but Cor could hear the longing in his voice, knew it mirrored his own.

  


Months later, the next time they met, Cor paid for a hotel in Altissia. He knew it wasn’t what Loqi truly wanted, just a bandage on a severed limb, really. But Loqi walked around the suite with a self-indulgent smile, opening the door to the balcony, running his fingers along the duvet, and then crowing in delight at the wine and pastries delivered by room service.

So although it might not have been what either of them wanted, as Loqi pushed Cor backwards onto the bed and climbed onto his lap to straddle him, Cor thought for now it might be enough.


	3. Chapter 3

The Empire continued its slow and steady invasion of Lucis, more and more towns west of Insomnia finding themselves at the mercy of Empire generals commanding legions of MT soldiers. Desperation pushed the King to plead for peace, to accept the terms of the Empire’s treaty.

It resulted in his death and the loss of almost everything Cor had ever known and loved.

Cor escaped the city and spent the night in a run-down RV far outside the walls of Insomnia. He wallowed in his misery and guilt and that night he drank most of a bottle of whiskey sitting on the RV steps before smashing the rest of the bottle on the asphalt at his feet. None of Cor’s calls connected to any of his fellow Crownsguard nor any of the royal family nor any of the Glaive and Cor was left in a drunken panic, mourning that the worst possible scenario had come to pass for his people.

A few hours after passing out, Cor awoke to his phone ringing and scrambled to answer a call from Monica, her tired, grief-stricken voice filling Cor in on the full picture of destruction and betrayal Insomnia and its people had suffered. She ended the call with the address of the dusty desert town she was holed up in and a request for Cor to join her. He agreed and hung his head as the call disconnected. Cor’s mind was swimming, though what pained him the worst was his heart, not just for the loss of Regis and Clarus but to know of Drautos’s treachery, someone he had worked with so intimately and respected deeply. It left a dull ache in his gut that Cor hadn’t suspected anything amiss, that he hadn’t seen past the façade.

Cor scrubbed his face and sobered up before he left, kicking shards of glass under the RV before climbing into his car and heading north.

  


Four days later Loqi texted with the address of a motel in Leide in some quiet little town still mostly untouched by the war. Cor felt his heart clench as he looked at the message, his body pulled in two directions as he wavered between rage and desire, until one emotion finally won out. 

  


That night Cor approached the room under the cover of darkness, knocking and waiting impatiently for Loqi to answer. When Loqi opened the door and stepped back, Cor surged against Loqi and had him against the wall roughly, arm too tight against Loqi’s throat.

“What the fuck was that, Loqi? Did you know about this?”

And Cor didn’t miss the flash of guilt on Loqi’s face that he quickly replaced with a nervous frown, swallowing hard against Cor’s forearm.

“I knew about the invasion. But I wasn’t a part of it.”

Cor tightened his grip and Loqi scowled but didn’t try to escape.

“My friends, my home, you couldn’t fucking warn me?”

“That’s not the _agreement_.“ Loqi hissed, eyes narrowed. “You think for a minute you’d tell me if it was on the other side? Don’t be foolish, Cor. Don’t lie to me.”

Cor released Loqi with a growl, taking a step away before doing anything too rash.

“My entire life in the city is gone. Do you know how many of my people are dead? Because of your Empire and the fucking traitors under my own nose.”

Loqi’s eyes fell to the floor and his shoulders sunk. He spoke with quiet resignation. “I already know you won’t believe me if I say I am sorry you lost your friends. I was under the impression the king was to be kept alive as a bargaining chip. I don’t know what went wrong.”

“You don’t know?” And Cor was too close to his breaking point, he’d held himself together since escaping Insomnia, but with Loqi in front of him, perfect and beautiful and the culmination of everything Cor was supposed to hate, Cor was too close to some dangerous realization.

“No I don’t know. My assignment kept me in Gralea during,” Loqi said softly in contrast to the hardness in his gaze. “I can’t just defy orders. Nor can I question them.”

Cor sighed in frustration, forcing himself to unclench his fists. He didn’t have anything more to say. His blood was running too hot in his veins and just the sight of Loqi was driving him a confused sort of crazy.

It was becoming too difficult to separate the duality of Loqi; that the cold hearted general taking swings at Cor on the battlefield was the same Loqi that slept soundly with his head pillowed on Cor’s shoulder. For every stolen moment they spent together laughing and talking and making love, it was overshadowed by the months of separation where they were sworn enemies.

Cor shook his head, unable to stay in Loqi’s presence any longer. He turned away, hand reaching for the doorknob.

Loqi’s hand was tentative as he reached out to lightly touch Cor’s arm.

“You’re leaving?”

Cor wrenched his arm away and Loqi recoiled as if burned.

“I can’t do this right now.”

And Cor didn’t turn away fast enough to miss the pain on Loqi’s face, but his anger was too much, too overwhelming, and he left without a look back, letting the door slam behind him.

  


It was a week later when Cor finally received a message from Loqi. He’d spent the past week mourning and keeping busy by tracking down the prince, reassuring refugees, and pulling together what Crownsguard remained. He was exhausted in every way imaginable and his heart felt as though it had gone through a wringer, all the warmth and softness and happiness once in it squeezed out and left empty.

Cor was in a hotel room in Lestallum, lying in bed trying not to think of Loqi and failing miserably. This had been the longest they’d gone without speaking in years and it left Cor empty and lonely and realizing he needed Loqi more than he wanted to admit. He wondered if he broke down and texted first whether Loqi would answer or not, or if Cor had lost another person he cared about. Cor buried his face in his hands in frustration, sighing heavily.

Then his phone vibrated from the side table and Cor knew the only person it could be. Wondered if Loqi was in the same position as Cor, lying in a cold empty bed unable to sleep, his heart turning itself inside out.

Cor didn’t hesitate to reach over and grab his phone, reading the screen once it lit up.

‘I miss you so much’

Cor sighed again, this time defeated. The text demolished straight through what was left of his heart. Cor stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling, the dark emptiness of the room heavy and overwhelming. Despite everything that had happened, Cor wanted Loqi with him, wanted his touch, his company, wanted his familiar scent in the sheets and his tongue in Cor’s mouth.

So Cor texted back ‘I miss you too’ and damn him, he truly did.

…

It took less time than Cor had expected for some sort of normalcy to return to their relationship. It was easier not to discuss what had happened; as it had been for years, their life of secret rendezvous’ was separate from their lives as fixtures in opposing armies. For seven years they had managed to remain true to their own duties while simultaneously continuing their affair. It hurt Cor to never feel closure for Loqi’s involvement in the downfall of Insomnia, like a constant thorn in his side, but losing Loqi on top of his entire life from the city felt unfathomably cruel.

Loqi was then given a promotion to Brigadier General, assigned to a military compound on Lucian soil, and outfitted with enough MT to destroy any pocket of royal family sympathizers he could possibly come across.

It was difficult to adjust to the surge of Empire troops patrolling the continent and creating blockades. The only positive was knowing Loqi was little more than a short drive away. Cor felt selfish as he observed the destruction and hardships leveled on the Lucian people; yet despite his sympathy for them, his and Loqi’s proximity increased the amount of time they could meet and spend time together behind closed doors. At the same time it also increased the amount of times they found themselves in battle with one another, swept into fight after fight and both acting their appropriate roles as bitter enemies.

It left Cor tired, exhausted in a way he hadn’t felt before the loss of his King and Insomnia; an exhaustion he felt deep in his bones that left him uneasy and weary when contemplating the future.

…

Cor travelled with the Prince and his retinue for a time after the fall of Insomnia. Although Cor found it difficult to look at Noctis and Gladio and not see the faces of Regis and Clarus, he pushed past his misery to accompany the group on their search for the ancient arms, anything to help Noct pick up the pieces of their broken country.

…

It had been a resounding loss for the Empire: the battlefield littered with broken MT, an MA-X Cuirass in pieces, and its pilot presumed dead.

It had been over a month since their last run-in and Loqi had caught Cor by surprise while travelling with Noctis near the Duscae border. If Loqi had been surprised as well by Cor’s appearance he did not show it, reverting back to his brash, overconfident personality as he challenged the Prince to battle.

Noctis was uncharacteristically ruthless and Cor could do little more than watch as he summoned his armiger and destroyed Loqi’s troops and possibly Loqi himself effortlessly, the final blow on the Cuirass causing the mech to burst into flame and smoke as it crumpled to the ground.

Cor felt something in his heart clench as he gazed impassively over the wreckage, eyes searching for some movement or a flash of gold or red. The field was eerily silent though, the static dying cries of the MT fading away, leaving nothing more than heaps of broken, twisted metal.

Noctis didn’t even give the wreckage a passing glance, turning his back on the field of Empire sacrifices.

Unable to stay behind at the battlefield without raising too many questions, Cor continued travelling with Noctis and his group to the closest rest stop and booked his own room at the rundown motel. He promised to continue their trek together in the morning, then disappeared for the night, the whole charade spent with a lump in his throat and his heart feeling like a stone behind his ribs.

Then Cor returned to the battlefield on his own, wondering if he’d still find the devastation or if the Empire had already sent a crew to clean up the tangle of bodies and machines.

The sun was starting to set as Cor came across the ripped up field, MT carcasses glinting grey and gold in the pre-dusk light. The fires had burned out leaving swatches of scorched grass and Cor picked his way slowly to the center of it all where the hulking remains of the Cuirass loomed, its hatch open and warped.

Loqi had pulled himself over to lay beneath the shade of his mech, his body curled in the fetal position, the grass around him stained red. Loqi cracked open his eyes when Cor knelt next to him, groaning when Cor placed a hand lightly on the curve of his waist.

“Empire just going to leave you out here all night? You’re lucky a pack of sabretusks didn’t come sniffing around.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Loqi muttered weakly. “They must think I’m dead. Maybe it’s better if they think that.” Loqi’s eyes fluttered closed, his breathing shallow against Cor’s palm.

“Well I’m not leaving you out here.”

Loqi bit back the pained gasps and whines as Cor gathered him in his arms, Loqi crumpling against Cor’s chest as he stood and held Loqi close.

“It’ll be all right,” Cor said, voice soft and reassuring. “I’ve got you.”

And Loqi made some quiet pitiful noise against Cor’s collar, so Cor pressed his lips to Loqi’s hairline and carried him away from the battlefield.

  


Loqi had an arm thrown over his eyes, teeth gritted as Cor scrubbed away the dried blood and dirt from the fight. Cor had him stripped down to his underwear to examine the burns and wounds scattered over his flesh and Cor mourned over the blood and bruises he wasn’t accustomed to seeing on Loqi’s pale skin.

“I feel like I was trampled by a herd of garula.” Loqi whined, as Cor began bandaging the larger of the cuts on his arms and chest.

“You’ll survive.” Cor reassured as his fingers smoothed gauze over Loqi’s shoulder.

“Thanks to you.” Loqi hid his eyes again, burying his face against the cushion as Cor bandaged down his forearm. “Maybe it would have been easier if you’d left me out there. Then you wouldn’t need to live this double life anymore.”

“I wouldn’t have left you.” Cor said with finality, tying off the last bandage and handing Loqi a sweatshirt he’d fished out of his own bag. Cor gave Loqi an impatient look when he balked at the suggestion of moving and Loqi finally grumbled and held out his arms.

Loqi watched Cor wearily from the couch, body hurt and slack, bandages peeking out from the oversized sweater Cor had wrestled Loqi into.

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this,” Loqi said quietly, his eyes half closed as he stared up at the ceiling. “I don’t even know what I’m fighting for anymore. If it came down to it I couldn’t kill you, Cor. Would you be able to kill me?”

Cor looked over from the recliner next to the couch, wanting nothing more than to take Loqi’s bandaged hand in his. He settled for running his fingers gently over Loqi’s knuckles.

“No,” he admitted. “Not anymore.”

The ghost of a smile turned up Loqi’s lips. “Good, at least I’m not the only one.” Then the smile faltered, turning more insightful. “Then again maybe I never could.”

When Loqi tried to move off the couch only to groan, Cor was at his side, hands halting Loqi from moving further.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I don’t want to sleep on the couch.” Loqi mumbled miserably. “I want to sleep next to you. Take me to bed?”

And Cor couldn’t deny the wobbling flip of his heart behind his ribs, Loqi’s soft words gutting Cor. The feeling left him unbalanced and maybe it left him holding Loqi a little tighter as he hefted him in his arms, Loqi’s wrists draped over his neck.

Cor carried Loqi to the bed, laying him as carefully as he could manage amongst the blankets. Loqi grit his teeth as he settled into a more comfortable position.

Cor felt Loqi’s eyes on him as he stripped out of his clothes, and when he slipped under the blankets Loqi gave him his back, pulling Cor’s arm to rest over his waist. A few minutes later Loqi laced their fingers together, Loqi cuddling closer into Cor’s embrace.

“I wish we could spend every night like this,” Loqi murmured tiredly, more into his pillow than the air. “Sometimes I miss you so much it hurts.”

Cor sighed, his breath ruffling Loqi’s hair. “Yeah,” He agreed, knowing the feeling all too well.

  


Cor was almost asleep when he felt Loqi pulling his hand down his navel, Cor’s fingers wrapping around Loqi’s swollen cock at his insistence.

“You’re injured,” Cor chided, his drowsy words contradicting his actions as he continued to stroke Loqi.

“Can’t help what you do to me,” Loqi said, soft smile in his voice. Cor hummed in acknowledgment before he heaved a sigh and shifted to his hands and knees, gently nudging Loqi to roll onto his back.

Loqi complied with a bit off groan, Cor kissing his way down Loqi’s body carefully to avoid the scrapes and bruises. Loqi buried his fingers in Cor’s hair when he finally reached his cock, Cor giving a few teasing licks before taking Loqi down in one practiced swallow. Loqi’s fingers tightened in response, his breathy whine loud in the quiet of their room.

Cor bobbed his head and stroked his fingers in time with Loqi’s gasps and pleas and when Loqi finally came down Cor’s throat it was with a strangled cry half muffled by the pillow he’d turned his face against.

Loqi was panting a bit, his fingers still buried in Cor’s hair as Cor kissed his way back up Loqi’s torso, settling carefully against Loqi’s body as he nuzzled against his neck.

“Damn, Cor, that proves it; I’d rather marry you than kill you.”

Cor exhaled heavily and rolled his eyes in the dark, nipping at Loqi’s throat too roughly, Loqi unable to squirm away.

“Seriously, Loqi Leonis, I could get used to it.”

“Go to sleep, Loqi.”

And for a few minutes afterwards there was blessed silence, the only sound in the room the constant whirr of the ceiling fan and Loqi’s heavy breathing, his chest under Cor’s ear.

Then Loqi’s voice whispered out into the night, almost too quiet for Cor to hear.

“I meant what I said before, if there was ever a time to leave all this… I could let them believe I was dead. I don’t think they’d try very hard to find me.”

Cor was quiet for a moment in the darkness, just feeling the press of Loqi’s body against him, the soft stretch of skin interrupted by gauze and tape. He breathed in deeply, could smell the clean scent of antiseptic on Loqi’s skin as he pressed his nose and lips against him.

“What are you asking, Loqi?”

Loqi was silent a beat too long before he shrugged, his lips soft as they spoke against Cor’s temple.

“Nothing you or I would be willing to do, I don’t think. Don’t worry about it, Cor. Good night.”

…

After their last meeting, news that leaked out of Niflheim became more alarming. Rumors of entire towns of people vanishing, wailing demons left in their place. A rumor that the Emperor has retreated into his keep, unseen for weeks. Rumors of bordering countries suddenly plagued by hordes of demons.

Dark clouds built on the horizon over the Empire each day, and Cor worried endlessly what would be the conclusion of the events the Chancellor and Emperor had set into motion.

During their time apart Loqi was quiet, almost clipped with his replies. Never offering more information than asked and no longer sending photos, Cor’s heart ached with worry.

One night Cor received a text from Loqi long past when either of them should be sleeping. Cor’s heart dropped when he read the words.

‘I’m afraid Cor; this isn’t how it was supposed to be. I wish I was with you’

Cor texted back but Loqi was silent the rest of the night and silent the next day as well. Cor’s mind provided him with a thousand scenarios of what could have happened to Loqi, and Cor received no end to his suffering until Loqi reappeared in his life two days later.

...

To Cor’s surprise, Loqi reappeared in his apartment. In Lucis. In Lestallum. Cor felt a pang of concern, Loqi was in danger in the crowded city and he kept his eyes on Loqi as he crossed the room to stand before him.

“What are you doing here?”

Loqi looked up then and Cor could see the red-rimmed eyes and the dark circles left from too many nights of terrible sleep.

“I just... wanted to see you.”

“You crossed into enemy territory and broke into my apartment just to see me? Loqi you could’ve been killed if you were recognized. They’d gladly make an example of you.”

Cor’s voice was too abrupt and Loqi flinched at the tone even if it was worry that made Cor’s words too harsh.

“I know, I just had to get out. Things in Gralea... what the Empire is doing, I don’t know Cor. I thought I knew what was going on before but this stuff; this isn’t what I signed up for. The _experiments_ , Cor. Some of the things they’ve done. Sometimes I can’t even sleep with the thought of it.”

Loqi buried his face in his hands, looking exactly like what he was, a twenty-five year old man in over his head and in bed with the wrong side in the war.

Cor sighed, sinking down onto the couch next to Loqi.

“You’re just now seeing what the Empire really is?”

Loqi flinched again, not even attempting to lift his head to meet Cor’s gaze.

“Spare me the lesson, Cor. It wasn’t like this before. I know no matter what I say you’ll disregard it because obviously you think nothing about the Empire is redeemable, but the Gralea I grew up in… It just wasn’t always this way.”

“It’s difficult to give them the benefit of the doubt when The Emperor and his sycophants conspired to kill my King and take Lucian magic for themselves after invading our country.”

“I know,” Loqi muttered, sinking further into his hands, curling into himself. “And maybe that’ll be the reason you never truly care for me.”

Cor froze and felt his heart go numb at the words.

“Loqi,” Cor put up his hand to reach for Loqi’s shoulder, but then Loqi was on his feet and several paces away, tired eyes watching Cor as his hands clenched and unclenched nervously.

“I know I’ve said it before, and maybe I didn’t really mean it then, in fact, I know I didn’t mean it then because I couldn’t give up so easily on my homeland. But I mean it now.” Loqi paused, pushing the palms of his hands against his eyes. “I could leave the Empire. I don’t want to fight for a cause I don’t believe in anymore.” Loqi sighed heavily, his arms falling slack at his sides. “I don’t want to fight you anymore.”

Cor thought back to that night, months ago, Loqi hurt and exhausted as they laid pressed together in the darkness, his whispers soft and unsure. Cor repeated the same question he had asked that night.

“What are you asking, Loqi?”

“Leave with me?” And Loqi asked as though he already knew the answer, his voice a low miserable ache. “We could go somewhere this war hasn’t touched. Just… just you and me.”

And Cor was quiet for a moment too long, the suggestion making his gut churn. He let himself think of what could be; a life away from the politics and hatred that had separated them the past seven years. Cor yearned to share his life with Loqi fully. Had perhaps wanted that for longer than he cared to admit. But.

“It’s not possible,” Cor said, as delicately as he could manage, trying not to let the slump of Loqi’s shoulders hurt his heart any further. “I can’t just leave the Prince and Lucis to their fate. Once Noctis recovers the ring I must do anything in my power to help him retake his throne. To help fix all of this.”

Loqi was rooted to the spot, his eyes on the floor, but Cor could see he was slipping away, every single word out of Cor’s mouth pushing them further and further apart.

“Then I hope you do, for everyone’s sake.” Loqi whispered, almost too low for Cor to hear, but with a certain sort of finality. He looked up, the smile on his face wavering, the pain in it almost crushing Cor’s resolve. “You’re a good man and I don’t regret a single moment of having you in my life. I’m glad I never managed to kill you.” Then Loqi’s feet were moving as he fled to the door.

“Loqi wait,” But Loqi had already slipped from his grasp. “Where are you going?”

And Loqi turned back for a moment, green eyes full of sorrow and resignation.

“The only place I can, Cor.”

Then he was gone, the door heavy and final behind him.

And that was the last time Cor saw Loqi before the entire world was plunged into darkness.

…

After the world went dark, Cor found himself alone more often than not. The surviving Crownsguard and Glaives gave him a respectful distance, fighting at his side when necessary only to be called back to Lestallum for new missions almost immediately. It was Cor’s choice to remain out in the wild fighting to exhaustion most nights, killing anything in his path before he collapsed at a haven below the stars. Cor knew it was self-destructive and dangerous but without pushing himself to his limits he was left with only his thoughts and his guilt.

Time after time Cor’s mind turned back to Loqi.

Cor thought of him on the last night they’d spoken, Loqi close to a breakdown and pleading, and Cor’s unerring loyalty to the crown like a knife to the throat for the kid.

He wondered where Loqi was and if he was safe. Wondered if someone else was protecting him, keeping him safe like Cor should have. The darker parts of his mind reminded him that he was the one that sent Loqi running back into the Empire’s arms and back to the source of the demon scourge. It was distinctly possible Loqi had never survived past the day Noctis entered the crystal.

One night Cor broke down and texted Loqi, simply asking if he was all right, if nothing else he just needed to know Loqi was still alive. Cor cradled his head in his hands, hunched over the screen waiting, hoping for an answer.

Days passed and the text went unread and unanswered and Cor feared the worst.

…

Life went on for Cor, as it always had. Though Cor cursed his name for his fate to outlive every single person in his life he cared about. Sometimes he felt it a fate worse than death.

Only after Iris had tearfully begged Cor to stay closer to the city did he taper off on the self-destructive tendencies: picking his battles more sensibly and spending a few nights a week within the relative safety of the city walls.

During the few hours of daylight he helped Lestallum survive and thrive under the influx of refugees. At night he was the bane of demons, prowling the outskirts of Lestallum to keep the path clear for survivors to take shelter within the city walls. When Cor would finally crawl into bed to sleep he was plagued by dreams of Loqi begging Cor for help and Cor never being fast enough to save him.

Cor would wake up those nights with his stomach tied in knots and begging the six for a second chance.

…

Cor stood with Prompto and Ignis on the lookout scaffolding decorating Lestallum’s walls, watching as a slow line of refugees filed in, children and injured included among the huddled figures. It was a common sight these days, and though Lestallum was almost filled to capacity, turning away those in search of help had never been an option in Cor’s mind.

“I heard a rumor some of these people are from Gralea. It’s surprising that anyone made it out of there alive, really.” Prompto mused half-heartedly, busy watching a scarred brunette with a lance strapped to her back with interest.

“I’m just surprised it took this long for the rabble to begin pouring in.”

Prompto feigned shock. “Me-ow, Iggy. Someone didn’t get their coffee today.”

“Am I mistaken?”

Cor remained silent, watchful eyes on the people as Prompto and Ignis argued good-naturedly. He was leaning against the piecemeal railing above the refugees as a precaution, though in the months since the Prince and the sun had disappeared, there had been no incidents, the citizens as a whole realizing they needed to work together to survive.

Hence the decision to allow their former enemies into the city; the decision not made lightly, but made in hopes for the future.

It served to burn a hole in Cor’s heart though; too little, too late.

  


Cor overheard Prompto gasp as he elbowed Ignis to get his attention.

“You’ll never guess who just walked into the city.”

Cor looked up as he overheard Prompto’s apprehensive whisper, turning his head to where Prompto had been sprawled over the railing.

And then Cor saw him.

Cor thought for a moment he was simply seeing what he wanted to see, an apparition born of Cor’s desperation, but Loqi was unmistakable, golden blonde and beautiful. He was alive and whole and just the sight of him stole the air from Cor’s lungs.

Loqi stood out among the refugees and Cor could see even from a distance that Loqi was thinner than Cor remembered, although the muscles of his arms and shoulders had filled out in the months since the sun had permanently set. What Cor could see of Loqi’s pale skin was marred by new scars like much of the rest of the surviving population, and Cor ached to touch them, know their stories, know how Loqi had survived and escaped the epicenter of outpouring demons.

Cor moved before his mind could catch up, dropping down from the scaffolding while Prompto called down to ask what was wrong and Ignis questioned what he had missed. Cor strode over to where Loqi stood, inside the city but purposefully a few steps from others, looking awkward and weary, his shoulders slumped. Cor reached out, tugging Loqi away from the crowd more roughly than he meant to. Loqi whipped around in response, surprised and defensive, only to freeze, eyes wide.

“You’re alive.” Cor could hear the breathless awe in his own voice, something fearful and tender lying below the surface, the months of worry and remorse coming to a head.

And Loqi gawked at Cor with his own brand of relief mixed with joy and rage, something wholly and uniquely Loqi. He looked as though he couldn’t decide between decking Cor or leaping into his arms.

“We need to talk,” Loqi pleaded, pulling at Cor’s arm. “But not here. Take me home?”

  


Neither spoke on the short walk to Cor’s apartment, Loqi trailing behind, eyes still darting to every alley and dark corner even behind the walls of Lestallum. Cor wanted to ask how bad it had gotten in Gralea, ask how Loqi had made the journey to Lucis, but the questions would have to wait, Loqi jittery behind him as he unlocked his front door.

Loqi peered around the small apartment, eyes narrowed; and only when he was satisfied they were alone did he turn to Cor, the expression in his green eyes unreadable.

Then Loqi seemed to decide how he was going to react to their reunion and before Cor could move Loqi was in his arms, Loqi’s face buried against his chest and his arms locked around the small of Cor’s back.

Cor automatically folded Loqi in his embrace and what almost made his knees give out from under him was Loqi’s scent when he buried his nose in Loqi’s hair, all at once familiar and comforting. Cor’s heart felt as though it would beat out of his chest.

“I thought the worst,” Cor murmured into Loqi’s hair, his arms locked tight around Loqi’s shoulders. “When you never answered I thought—”

“I lost my phone,” Loqi mumbled into Cor’s chest. “When the demons started flooding into the city I didn’t have time to grab anything. It was—one moment everything was fine and then my entire building was overrun. I went out the fire escape and I fled the city barefoot.” Loqi gave a shrill humorless laugh, tilting his head to look up at Cor. “I didn’t know if you were okay, either. Fuck, Cor, I saw demons destroy my entire homeland and you were still the first thing on my mind.”

Cor moved his hands up to cradle Loqi’s head, burying his fingers in his hair before pulling him back against his chest. Cor’s fingers smoothed back the blonde locks and Loqi let himself be comforted, leaning heavily against Cor.

“You were right all along,” Loqi finally mumbled against Cor’s shirt. “The Empire did this and there was no running away from this. No hiding anywhere.”

“I didn’t want to be right.”

Loqi’s face twisted and he wrenched away from Cor’s arms, putting some distance between them. Cor had to fight the urge to tug him back into his embrace.

“About what? About the Empire, or, or…”

After a moment to compose himself Loqi looked back at Cor and hesitated, swallowing and opening his mouth only to have difficulty speaking his mind. Finally he powered through, eyes staring straight through Cor.

“Was I ever on your mind? Not just when you thought I might be dead, but…after that night I left? Seven years and to end like that?”

And Loqi looked like the answer could wreck him, like a stiff breeze could blow him over if Cor’s words didn’t match up with the answer already in his mind.

And Cor thought of all the reasons he had distanced himself from Loqi in the past, all the reasons every sensible part of himself had done his best to bury deep down inside all the feelings he had for Loqi. Every time he had felt himself falling he’d forced himself to remember his duty to the crown, that no matter what he and Loqi had whispered beneath the sheets in the cover of darkness, Cor’s true loyalty remained to Lucis. He was reminded of every time he had lied with his silence instead of telling Loqi what he truly felt.

This time he didn’t lie.

“Yes,” Cor answered simply, feeling his heart beat unevenly in his chest. “I couldn’t think of anything else.”

Loqi closed his eyes and took a deep breath before asking one final question.

“Do you love me, Cor?”

And for once when it came to telling Loqi the truth, Cor didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.”

And Loqi’s face fell, destroyed; he looked a moment away from collapsing to the ground, his body slack. Then his brows furrowed and his eyes darkened in rage.

“You absolute idiot.” Loqi stomped back toward Cor, each frustrated word bringing himself and his fury closer. “You had me, I was yours, you were all I could fucking think about Cor, no one else. Fucking hell, you _had_ me Cor, you’ve always had me.”

And the words destroyed Cor in kind, left his heart weak in his chest and a painful knot lodged in his throat. Cor reached out for Loqi, unable to hold himself back any longer.

“I’m sorry—”

And then Loqi was back in Cor’s space, on his toes, hands gripping Cor’s shoulders and jerking him down roughly until they were nose to nose.

“I don’t want your apologies; I want to hear you say it.”

“I love you—”

Then Loqi’s lips were on his, insistent and interrupting, the rest of Cor’s words swallowed by the heat of Loqi’s mouth.

It was like nothing had changed, Loqi’s lips still pliant and soft beneath his, the threat of a bite lurking as Loqi tugged Cor’s lip between his teeth. Cor’s hands moved of their own volition, sliding around Loqi’s back and pulling their bodies together roughly. Loqi gasped against Cor’s mouth, and Cor meant to apologize again but then Loqi’s tongue was in his mouth and his fingers were buried in his hair, keeping Cor from pulling away.

Every time Loqi took a breath he took the opportunity again to call Cor an idiot, mumbled in his ear like a mantra and intersected with more proclamations of love than Cor had ever heard in his lifetime. It set something alight in his heart and Cor regretted ever pushing Loqi away, and tried not to think of the fact Loqi had barely made it out of Gralea and Cor could have lost him permanently.

“I have waited seven fucking years to hear you say that. Take me to bed, Cor.” Loqi pleaded, desperate and aching. “I need you.”

And Cor took Loqi’s hand in his, intertwined their fingers and did as Loqi asked.

...

Cor took Loqi face to face, Loqi’s thighs thrown over his own and Loqi’s shirt riding up over his chest exposing the pale expanse of scarred skin. It reminded Cor of their first time; both wanting one another so badly yet afraid to push the boundaries too far. Loqi’s hands were gentle and hesitant against Cor’s shoulder and chest, though Loqi’s legs tightened around his waist to keep Cor from pulling too far away.

Cor slowed, more concerned with kissing Loqi, feeling his gasp hot against his cheek as Cor’s lips moved over Loqi’s jaw.

“I missed you so much,” Loqi whimpered, body taut as Cor gave a hard thrust into him as far as he could go. “I love you too much to lose you again.”

Cor buried his fingers in Loqi’s hair, tilting his head to force their lips together.

“You won’t,” Cor panted, holding Loqi too tight. “I promise.”

  


Cor gave Loqi a sidelong look, still marveling that he was alive and well and back in Cor’s life. Loqi fit back in Cor’s arms like he belonged there, like the last piece of a puzzle falling into place. It had taken so long to get to this point, and there had been too many close-calls and uncertainties in their tremulous years together.

Cor didn’t want any more uncertainty.

Cor cleared his throat, his fingers moving to comb through Loqi’s hair, the soft blonde locks falling slowly back to the shoulder Loqi was using as a pillow.

“So, Loqi Leonis, hmm? Still think you could get used to that?”

Loqi was close enough that Cor could feel his mouth pull into a surprised grin against his skin.

“It does have a nice ring to it.”

“Well it’s yours if you want it. And so am I.”

And Loqi tilted his head up to where Cor was already waiting; their lips meeting as Cor pulled Loqi in tighter, wrapping his arms around Loqi’s back, strong and possessive. The kiss burned down through Cor, igniting some fire he’d believed long extinguished. It warmed his blood with every press of Loqi’s skin against his own until there was no space left between them, bodies intertwined as tightly as their fates.

“It’s about time. Glad you finally decided to marry me instead of kill me.” Loqi whispered, another smile curving his lips as he pressed them against the corner of Cor’s mouth.

“Likewise.” Cor said, tilting Loqi’s jaw and kissing Loqi again.

Then again, and again, and again.


End file.
